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Features
Keystation has the following features:
• MIDI master controller keyboard with 49 undersized keys.
• On/Off Power switch
• Full control of velocity, bank switching, and channel select.
• GM (General MIDI) Reset button.
• Change Program by paging up/down or direct access.
• MIDI OUT connects to computer or directly to synthesizer.
• Uses a standard 9 volt dc, 300 milliamp power adaptor.
• Jack (on back) for use with an optional sustain-foot switch.
What is MIDI
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a series of commands and
messages that allow different (mostly musical devices) to talk with each
other and work on the same tasks all together.
MIDI is not sound. As a matter of fact, many modern applications for
MIDI have nothing to do with sound. MIDI is now being used to control
many different things including lighting, robotics and anything that
needs to respond to real-time controls. MIDI commonly sends instruc-
tions to a device to turn something on or off. It can however, also send a
great deal of other information such as controller information.
Controller information is used to modify many different things includ-
ing pitch bend, modulation, reverb depth, volume, etc..
If you are using a computer to work with MIDI, your computer can
receive and store this MIDI information using a program called a MIDI
sequencer. You can think of a sequencer as a “virtual” tape recorder.
Anything you play can be recorded and played back. Unlike a regular
tape recorder, the sequencer can also take what you have played and
change it. And if you accidentally play a wrong note, you can use the
program to correct it instead of having to re-record any of your perfor-
mance. If you are not a very good keyboard player you can record a
part very slowly or even one note at a time, and then play it back at the
right tempo so that it sounds as if you have been playing for years.
One standard MIDI connection provides 16 different “channels”. Each
of these channels can be used to control different sounds. GM tone mod-
ules can receive on all 16 channels at the same time. Other older synthe-
